To be honest, I dropped the drama 2 episodes before the end (15/17) because I was OVER what the male lead character did in episode 15, and I knew the producer/director/screenwriter would justify his bad behavior and that they would have a happy ending. I think I am going to rewatch episodes 1-15 again lol.
You're welcome! Below is a snippet of my review for that drama.
This review may contain spoilers Whewwwww
I cried a lot of happy tears when watching this drama. It's so interesting how this drama really got me emotional, but in a good way. This is the first drama that I've watched in which the female lead, male lead, and the antagonist male and female characters were not at fault for the tragedy that happened in the drama. Although, no one's actions were perfect, they were however, realistic based upon the situations that lead to such tragedy.
WOW! Your article is so well designed, and the presentation is outstanding. As a student of research, I enjoyed the fact that you took a sample, and used the data that was collected from your sample (kudos).
I agree with what was written by the user OldLadyAnime. Additionally, I believe that sexism, implicit bias and culture plays a huge role in the reason why female villains are hated more/have less character development than their male counterparts, and explains the reason why the actresses who plays the female villain receive more backlash as opposed to male actors who play male villains. Overall, systems (educational, beauty standards, judicial, marital, entertainment, etc) have been established to please, and benefit men, and this is often done by using women; in the past women were not used as equal partners but as subordinates. So they were a means for men to be pleased, even in entertainment (watch movies from the 50's). Although, these systems are changing slowly (e.g. beauty standards, equality, etc), they still benefit men more than women. Once a system is established (e.g. patriarchy, sexism) with a specific purpose (e.g. male pleasure, male dominance, etc), even if the system changed completely, it would be very difficult for that specific purpose to be changed.
For example: Why do we really hate the female villain characters? Why does this hate extend to the actresses who play the female villain characters? Because often times in dramas/movies the female villain/antagonist likes the male lead, who likes the female lead character. We put ourselves in the shoes of the female lead character, and thus as we are watching these dramas, in our minds as the female lead we feel the need to protect our relationship with the male lead. Why is this? Why can't we just hold the male lead accountable for his actions, as he is the one interested in the female lead. If the male lead rejects all the advances of the female villain, then the male lead relationship with the female lead will continue on. Women tend to hold women more accountable than men. Why? It's because we've been conditioned to do so. If a female is raped, we automatically wonder what she was wearing or what she did to be raped? How about we ask, what's wrong with the rapist? How about we hold the rapist(usually male but not always) accountable? What I am saying is that women have been conditioned by systems that benefit men (aka society) to hate other women, because women (consciously or unconsciously) see other women as competition for men's attention, for jobs (the CEO is often a man), for love (because we desire to be the ideal standard of beauty, so that we can be liked by men), etc.
I believe if script writers would put the same energy in explaining why the female villain became a villain (e.g. abusive husband, toxic father, childhood trauma, etc), like they do with male villains we might have more empathy for the female villain. However, I still think the conditioning of women by a male dominated society, will still have most women being empathic towards the male villain rather than the female villain, which is the reason why in society, we (unconsciously or consciously) blame women for being raped, physically abused, mentally abused, getting pregnant (it takes 2 to tangle folks), etc.
Btw, I am somewhat guilty of this too. Read my review for the drama "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes." There's something that I found really attractive by the male lead who is very toxic, and who I believe is a sociopath. https://kisskh.at/23520-hundred-million-stars-from-the-sky
I didn't add What's Wrong with Secretary Kim as one of my top three, but I do think that it's overrated. I could not finish the first episode before dropping it.
I don't think True Beauty, and Itaewon Class are overrated, I think their ratings which are in the 8.0 zone (not rated a 9 or 10) is about right.
This review may contain spoilers
Whewwwww
I cried a lot of happy tears when watching this drama. It's so interesting how this drama really got me emotional, but in a good way. This is the first drama that I've watched in which the female lead, male lead, and the antagonist male and female characters were not at fault for the tragedy that happened in the drama. Although, no one's actions were perfect, they were however, realistic based upon the situations that lead to such tragedy.
I agree with what was written by the user OldLadyAnime. Additionally, I believe that sexism, implicit bias and culture plays a huge role in the reason why female villains are hated more/have less character development than their male counterparts, and explains the reason why the actresses who plays the female villain receive more backlash as opposed to male actors who play male villains. Overall, systems (educational, beauty standards, judicial, marital, entertainment, etc) have been established to please, and benefit men, and this is often done by using women; in the past women were not used as equal partners but as subordinates. So they were a means for men to be pleased, even in entertainment (watch movies from the 50's). Although, these systems are changing slowly (e.g. beauty standards, equality, etc), they still benefit men more than women. Once a system is established (e.g. patriarchy, sexism) with a specific purpose (e.g. male pleasure, male dominance, etc), even if the system changed completely, it would be very difficult for that specific purpose to be changed.
For example: Why do we really hate the female villain characters? Why does this hate extend to the actresses who play the female villain characters? Because often times in dramas/movies the female villain/antagonist likes the male lead, who likes the female lead character. We put ourselves in the shoes of the female lead character, and thus as we are watching these dramas, in our minds as the female lead we feel the need to protect our relationship with the male lead. Why is this? Why can't we just hold the male lead accountable for his actions, as he is the one interested in the female lead. If the male lead rejects all the advances of the female villain, then the male lead relationship with the female lead will continue on. Women tend to hold women more accountable than men. Why? It's because we've been conditioned to do so. If a female is raped, we automatically wonder what she was wearing or what she did to be raped? How about we ask, what's wrong with the rapist? How about we hold the rapist(usually male but not always) accountable? What I am saying is that women have been conditioned by systems that benefit men (aka society) to hate other women, because women (consciously or unconsciously) see other women as competition for men's attention, for jobs (the CEO is often a man), for love (because we desire to be the ideal standard of beauty, so that we can be liked by men), etc.
I believe if script writers would put the same energy in explaining why the female villain became a villain (e.g. abusive husband, toxic father, childhood trauma, etc), like they do with male villains we might have more empathy for the female villain. However, I still think the conditioning of women by a male dominated society, will still have most women being empathic towards the male villain rather than the female villain, which is the reason why in society, we (unconsciously or consciously) blame women for being raped, physically abused, mentally abused, getting pregnant (it takes 2 to tangle folks), etc.
Btw, I am somewhat guilty of this too. Read my review for the drama "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes." There's something that I found really attractive by the male lead who is very toxic, and who I believe is a sociopath. https://kisskh.at/23520-hundred-million-stars-from-the-sky
https://myasiantv.cc/kshow/happy-together-s3/episode-455
I don't think True Beauty, and Itaewon Class are overrated, I think their ratings which are in the 8.0 zone (not rated a 9 or 10) is about right.